Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Mapping the End of Your World

Ubisoft are pulling out all the stops to help promote the release of the online video game of Tom Clancy's The Division. In the game a smallpox pandemic has brought down the U.S. government and the USA has descended into uncontrollable panic.

A few weeks ago Ubisoft released The Division Map of New York. This map features a number of 360 degree panoramic Street View images which allow you to explore scenes of New York as portrayed in the on-line game. These Street View type images show a post-pandemic New York, devastated by the effects of the pandemic.

Ubisoft has now also released a new online pandemic simulation map. Collapse presents a simulated pandemic outbreak centered around your home and neighborhood. At the beginning of the simulation you are infected with an unknown breed of smallpox. As the simulation plays out the map shows how your infection spreads through your immediate neighborhood, the rest of the country and eventually the rest of the world.

The map makes extensive use of the Google Places API to show how real-word actions could quickly lead to a widespread pandemic. As the simulation plays out you are asked to select from your nearest hospitals, pharmacies, airports etc. The map uses the Google Places API to give you a choice of your real nearest businesses, hospitals and airports. As you select from these Google Places locations the map updates to show how the pandemic might spread as you move around infecting people as you go.

Ubisoft's Collapse simulator was probably inspired by the Map of the Dead. This zombie survival map shows you nearby locations that could be handy if there is ever a zombie outbreak.

Originally the Map of the Dead also used the Google Places API to show you nearby business locations, such as supermarkets, pharmacies and other locations that might have the resources that you need to survive in a fight against the undead. The Map of the Dead however has now switched from Google Places to the Foursquare API to show you these nearby business locations.